Crude-oil expander.



S. H.. BAMELLI.

CRUDE OIL EXPANDEH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY II, IsII.

sEBAsTIANH. RAMELLI, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. l

' CRUDE-OIL EXPANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Application led May 11, 1917. Serial No. 167,899.

To all 'u2/wm t may concern:

Be it known that I, SEBASTIAN H. RAMELLI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Crude-Oil Expanders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for expanding crude oil by mixing it with steam in a chamber'.

Crude oil or petroleum is heavy, and for efficient combustion it is atomized by steam and air in the burner. It has been found that greater efficiency is obtained if the crude oil is treated with steam to expand the same and form a froth, and then fed to the burner in this condition. The mixture from the expander is atomized and used in the burner in the usual way.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for crude oil which can be employed to expand the oil by means of steam.

I accomplish these objects by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an expander. The figure is shown with a portion broken out.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 3 indicates a cylinder preferably formed with flanged ends 4; and 5. Secured to one end of the cylinder by means of bolts or any other suitable means is a head 6, the head 6 is preferably bolted to the flange 5. Openings are provided in the head through which pass the pipe from the oil line, and pipe from the steam line. The other end of the cylinder is closed by means of head 7, similar to head 6, and preferably bolted to the flange 4.

An opening is provided in the head 7 for the reception of a discharge pipe. The oil line piping 8 extends through the opening in the upper part of the head 6, and a spray pipe 9 connected thereto extends along the length of the cylinder 3. Spray pipe 9 is closed at one end by a cap 10 and is provided with perforations 11 which are directed downwardly.

Through the lower opening in head 6 the Steam line pipe 12 passes. A spray pipe 13 connected thereto extends parallel to and below the oil spray pipe. The end of the steam spray pipe is provided with a cap 14 and with a series of perforations 15. The perforations 15 are arranged so that steam issuing from the spray pipe will spread in fan form outwardly and envelop the oil which passes downwardly through perforations 11. The steam swirls in the chamber and thoroughly mixes with the oil forming a froth and thereby expanding the oil to preferably about six times its volume. The froth is discharged through piping 16 which leads to a burner.

A pressure gage is indicated by 17, and is for the purpose of indicating the pressure of the froth in the expander chamber. Suitable valves are provided for regulating the iow of steam and the discharge of the expanded oil.

Bleeder piping 18 is connected into the bottom of cylinder 3 and leads to the discharge pipe. This permits draining the cplmpartment of any accumulated water or o Ordinary oil is supplied to the burner under a pressure of 10 to 50 pounds. The froth may also be supplied to the burner under this pressure. Oil is pumped through the oil line under the usual pressure and live steam admitted through the piping 12. If there has been an accumulation of oil in the bottom of the cylinder, the steam heats the oil and it may be drained through the bleeder piping 18 and fed to the burner in the usual manner. After the accumulated oil and water has passed through the bleeder piping, froth will be formed and will pass through the piping 1G to the burner.

What I claim is:

1. In au oil expander, an expansion chamber, an oil spray conduit in the upper part of said chamber, a steam spray conduit disposed below said oil spray having perforations directing steam upwardly, and a discharge outlet for feeding the expanded oil to a burner.

2. In an oil expander, an expansion champerforations on its upper side, and a disber, an oil spray piping extending longicharge conduit connected to said chamber tudinally along the upper portion of said for feeding expanded oil to a burner. l0 chamber. and having perforations `on ,itsl kI-n Witness that I yclaiin the foregoing I lower side, a steam yspray pipe Aextening have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th axially of said chamber and below said yoil day Vof April, 1917. spray pipe, said `steam spray pipe having ,SEBASTIAN RAMELLI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained 1orfivewen-ts'each, by ,addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

